A Riders Curse
by CouldBe
Summary: His friends betray him, his fiends befriend him, his lovelife is like an overexcited catarpillar and his night mares are killing him...but he must live on a quest awaits, leading him straight into Galbatorix lair...
1. A Tear

_The golden shimmer of light- like a spark in a dying fire- that could be thrown by the sunlight piercing through the amazing gem, was not even the slightest to what it should be. It was dark where he was, he liked it that way, he wanted to be left alone. Alone with his sorrow. _

Oh Oromis!_ The memory returned once more. _The pain, oh the pain! It burned_. Then the burning ceased. _Eragon avenge him!_ He screamed._

Eragon jumped as he awoke from his waking sleep. His face was wet, the tears were streaming down his cheeks.

Saphira was looming over him. Her blue scales glinted in the first light of dusk. The fog was slowly leaving, retreating from the sun. The frost was on the ground, a lone bird dsinging.

_Why is my tent lying in tatters, Saphira?_ Eragon questioned once he had recovered from his dream.

_It's very hard to get through a pavilion door when you're my size you know!_ She replied guiltily.

Eragon chuckled. Then he became serious once more. _What do we do Saphira?_

_Now, _she said_, we fly._

Eragon nodded and clambered onto her back. She launched upwards.

Despites the early hour, the town of tents was swimming with movement. In a matter of minutes the tents were brought down, packed up, placed on carriages, carts, sledges and horses, the Varden who had children placed them on top of the tent fabric and wood, and all in all the whole camp was cleared away and left, the only evidence of them ever having been there, were a few charcoaled wood bits and some bones from a roast pig.

Without further time loss, the whole parade set off towards the city of Belatona. It was at least a day away on foot, but only a few hours in flight.

Saphira took her time, she practice loops and twirls, lunging and dodging. Even when she made mistakes, Eragon knew that the Varden below were astounded. She was the most elegant creature in the skies.

_Show off, _Eragon thought

_Jealous? _She returned

Eragon sighed and retied his wrist straps. Jealousy was something that he had been dealing with far too often lately. A picture of Arya flashed through his mind before he could stop it. He felt saphira was about to tell him something. He did not want to hear about it. He blocked her out.

It caused her mental pain to watch Eragon struggle. Saphira stopped her show and glided slowly, gently on the wind. She felt his frustration with Arya. His suffering. He would have been less distracted if she had just told him that she loved him back. The large-two-legs-group marched beneath her. She spotted Arya at the front and anger suddenly overwhelmed her.

_You did this _she thought to herself. _You make him suffer for nothing elf. _

The big-golden-ball was rising up wards and making her scales glitter. She was the most beautiful hunter on the whole of the world. Why did she not feel like that then?

_Eragon?_ He was still blocking her speech, but she could feel his moods, which was a particularly grave one. Glaedr-elda. She felt a tear well up behind her eyes.

_Saphira?_ For one second, Saphira was happy. Eragon was not ignoring her any more, but then the tear brimmed over and took it's long path to the ground. The people scrambled away from it as soon as they saw it coming. They were like a giant sea, as soon as one person started pushing, a whole line of persons were affected.

_We have to do something Eragon_, saphira announced

Eragon agreed.

Nasuada called Eragon down, and beckoned Arya and them to meet when the Varden stopped for a rest and a meal.

When the time came, the quartet disappeared into a nearby forest.

Once they had found a suitable meeting area, an opening with a log opposite a stone and enough space for Saphira to lie, Nasuada took her place on the rock and told them

"Fear is everywhere. In the eyes of our people, in the faces of children, even the horses seem to understand that there is something wrong."

Eragon knew this. He had watched the varden's eyes turn from green, blue and brown to shades of grey. The bags under their eyes grew larger and larger. Their smiles were too big, their songs too loud. With lucky charms around their necks, they sat on their knees every night and prayed.

Only Nasuada seemed unmoved by the news. Her eyes were as bright as ever, the bags under her eyes barely visible. A mask. Even masks cannot hide everything. Her shoulders hung , her back was arched, and her arms hung limply at her sides. She was weary.

_I am surrounded by females who do not show their emotions and have cried less in their whole life than I have in a day. _Eragon unwillingly peered at Arya.

_Are you so sure?_ Saphira replied

Eragon returned his attention just in time to see the single tear run down Nasuada's cheek.

"I have bad news"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"That makes no sense what so ever!" Arya cried "send a human, send a Kull, send an elf if you must, your plan is ill thought out and reckless!"

Nasuada looked at Arya's face. Her mask was still on, but her voice had flown an octave higher. Arya was fuming. Nasuada kept her façade up as well even though she had a fair amount of respect for the elf and was stunned by her sudden ferociousness. She slowly looked from Eragon to Arya.

"Galbatorix has set up an unbelievable amount of guards on his castle, foot soldiers as well as spells. No walking, swimming or digging animal can get passed it and keep their life. However, my spies have noticed that because Thorn and Murtagh have to fly outside his wards to complete their 'duties', there are no wards to stop flying. Since Saphira is not prepared to take anyone without Eragon on her back, and once they are inside the guards, they can land a while before the castle without being spotted by the sentries, I see no problem in the matter," She proclaimed. She was lying out of her teeth. With Eragon everything could go wrong. He could attract danger anywhere, no doubt he could do it in a castle owned by a power-crazed rider with lord only knows how many 'hearts of hearts' to give him energy, not to mention two dragons and a whole group of soldiers that felt no pain.

Arya leapt on to her feet "you don't even believe that yourself!" she hissed. "I shall show you the floors in your plan and hope you take them in to account."

Eragon had stopped listening, he looked from the ground up to Saphira's massive head. Then he burst out laughing.

Puzzled the two girls stopped squabbling and turned to the grinning Eragon. There was no joy in his eyes. Just a realisation.

"It's funny how, you both speak as though I wasn't there," he pointed out "Nasuada wants me to creep into Galbatorix castle and steal the last egg, Arya wants me not too, Roran wants me to fight beside him…do I have no choice in the matter?"

Arya and Nasuada bowed their heads and stared at the floor.

"when do we leave?" he muttered softly and each word made Nasuada's chest throb. What had she done?

They were going to leave as soon as Belatona was captured.

_Why did you choose nasuada's plan? Arya is right it's irresponsible!_ Saphira pestered him once again.

_I sweared Fealty to Nasuada, and anyway, I'll be helping to save the dragons! _

Even Saphira could not argue with that. She still was not pleased though. _Dangerous, risky, thoughtless! _She told him.

Eragon looked at his gedwëy ignasia. Then he knocked on the post of the tent he stood before.

Jeod's head appeared from inside the tent. The tent door covered the rest of his body and it looked rather ridiculous, ever the less, Eragon made do- and spoke to the head "Do you remember where the tunnels were? The ones that lead into Galbatorix castle?" he had not meant to be so straight forward, why was he here?

Jeod's head sighed and let go of the tarpaulin so that his body was visible. "Hello Eragon." He said instead of answering the question. He signalled Eragon to come in and offered him tea. Eragon shook his head determined not to get distracted. "The tunnels?" Jeod questioned after long last, seating himself opposite the crate Eragon was settled on. "They were sealed off as soon as Galbatorix found them, and I suggest you don't go looking for them either."

Eragon did his best to hide the disappointment. How was he meant get into the fortress now? Jeod must have noticed the look in Eragon's eye though "Eragon, what are you plotting now?"

Eragon peered out of the tent door at the setting sun. They were a good two hours away from Belatona, but Nasuada had ordered them to stop anyway. "I'm not supposed to say" he said through gritted teeth. How he wished he could talk to someone about it apart from…Arya. Saphira had already declared her judgement as a disapproving one. However, he feared the man's opinion would be a similar one. What was he doing?

Jeod breathed out noisily. "I'll draw you a map"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_A rock. It was a large rock. Perhaps it was cliff? His head hurt so many voices. Where did the voices come from? The voices got louder. His head ached more. The closer he got to the cliff the louder the voices got. They sounded outraged, livid. Eragon clapped his hands over his ears, but it did not stop. The noises never ceased, never wavered. "Fricai onr eka eddyr" He said, I am your friend "Eka eddyr Eragon, Eka eddyr Schur'tugal, fricai onr eka eddyr!"_

_Finally the voices paused_

"Eka elrun ono_" Eragon told them-I thank you- and asked them what had angered them._

"we_," said a single female voice in Eragon's mind "_have been slaughtered_"_

_Eragon stared at the stone _"How can you speak with me_?"_

"Stupid boy_!" screamed the voice. Eragon yelped. The other voices returned "_Stupid boy, Stupid boy, stupid boy_" Then came a voice much louder than the others._

Eragon! Eragon! Oops…

Eragon blinked and rolled out of the way just before the ball of flame slammed against the tarp where he had been sitting in front. The tent shot into flames immediately. _How many tents Saphira? How many nightmares Eragon?_

Eragon ordered the fire to stop. Irritated he ran his hand through his hair. "My hair!" he cried and felt the singed top.

_You have nightly dreams that leave you crying, an enraged dragon rider after you, a war to fight and your complaining about fur?_ Saphira shouted at him. Eragon shrugged. Stupid boy. Stupid boy. Stupid boy.

~O~

Arya sat cross legged on the uncomfortable cot she had cushioned with moss. She had been so discreet, so careful until Nasuada had told her that she wanted to Eragon to steal the egg. Nasuada had realised it straight away, she had seen her taunting looks her sympathetic smiles for Eragon. Eragon…

He did not have a clue. Everytime she looked at him he looked hurt. In pain. Suffering. He had started building his own 'mask' to hide behind, but although the mask was built, he was unpractised at hiding beneath it.

She could not do anything about it though.

"It hurts him you know" She heard a voice say. Elva. She did not look up. "physical pain. It's unbearable. Even when I ignore it, it seeps through. It's worse than…"

Arya glared at her. "be off with you little girl" her patients was at its end. Elva chuckled.

"In body one, in Mind another" She remarked, her amethyst coloured eyes gleaming.

"I have noticed" Arya retorted coldly.

"I was not talking about myself, Arya" Elva told her and flitted away.

Arya put her hands over her face. Why did she have to fall in love at the worst moment possible?

~O~

Eragon was kneeling on the ground concentrating on all the beings around him. There was a bird dozing on a tree, a single ant lost and confused, a squirrel in the undergrowth hiding from the danger. What danger? Eragon jabbed through the squirrels mind, pink, small, tall, giant…_us_. Eragon frowned he disliked being seen as the enemy. _What do you think Galbatorix views you as? _His mind told his sole. He's the enemy not me! _He's the murderer, the torturer, the leader!_ _He has killed thousands!_ The squirrel jumped away frightened and Eragon realised he had been thinking this while searching its consciousness.

_So have you._

Eragon opened his eyes in disgust as the images of the soldiers came into his mind. The sounds they made when his sword broke through their armor, the smell of the blood, the triumphant feeling Eragon had gotten, all returned at once. It was too much. Eragon retched on the floor and started running. Running, running. _Saphira!_

A picture of a dead doe smeared with red and ripped to shreds took its course through Eragon's mind. That was not helping. Eragon blocked her out and ran back to the camp. It was a while, Saphira had flown him there and the sun was starting to rise again when he finally reached it, but he did not stop, he sprinted passed his tent and through half the site until finally he stopped dead. Why was he here? Why had he come here? His hand shakily knocked against the wood.

Arya's face displayed an unexpected amount of surprise for a split second, but then it disappeared.

"Eragon," She stated

"Arya" he replied. Could she hear his heart beat? It was loud enough. Like a sword coming down on a mans head repeatedly and with inhuman speed. His stomach lurched. He swallowed the bile. What was he doing?

"Is something the matter?" She inquired with a balanced amount of worry in her voice.

The pain in his heart returned. Was something the matter? Yes something was wrong! She was not by his side holding his hand and…Eragon beat away his fantasies.

"Ah…I….uh, just wanted to talk about the…uhm…task," It was the first thing that sprang to mind. _And I love you_ he wanted to add.

Arya reluctantly pushed the opening wider so Eragon could get in.

_Stupid boy._ Eragon heard. He turned around bewildered.

Arya gave him an odd look when he turned back, but he pretended he did not see and sat down.

Arya took her seat and examined him.

"You are worried about what is to come am I right?" She guessed.

Eragon kept his vision towards his feet. Anywhere else and he would feel the pain again. "I am as frightened of the present as I am of the future, but yes Dröttningu, you speak of the truth"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Arya seemed amused by his words for a slim smile appeared on her face.

_This could work,_ a voice in the back of her head said. She forced it away with images of Faolin. Her smile vanished.

"What is it you want, Eragon?" she insisted. _More pain? Less pain? No pain? Why not leave instead of torture yourself? Instead of torturing me?_ She was shocked at her own selfishness.

"You know I don't regard Nasuada's plan as safe, nor clever, what is it you need?"

"It's possible though, isn't it?" Finally Eragon looked up, and when he did, Arya read in his eyes, something she did not expect to find; excitement.

It was hidden beneath, misery, regret, fear, hope, love and an unbelievable amount of emotions Arya would never dare display, but it was there.

_Brom_, she remembered, _he's excited because he's following in his footsteps._

"Yes" she snapped. Why was he excited! He was going to die! He was going to get injured, cursed or killed! Arya looked at Eragon for a second and then crossed her arms across her stomach.

"I think it's best you leave now."

~O~

Elva passed the tent of the injured Warriors. Once she got to the end she turned around and walked passed it again.

There was a man who had had his leg amputated and was writhing in pain, a man with only one eye, a fighter with horrible burn wounds, a cut on his right knee and a broken nose, and number of other less major injuries on other men.

Elva tried once more to push all the pain into the back of her mind. She was good now. She could ignore cuts, bruises, broken bones, missing limbs, most outer damage. She could not ignore inner pain. She could feel one of Orrin's soldiers lunges filling with blood because a broken rib had punctured it, she could feel the stomach ache of a man who had eaten a poison fungi…

She tried once more to rid herself of their pain, but the pain stayed and was topped by an upcoming headache. Elva walked away and into the woods where she clambered onto a tree and watched the final rays of the sun sink behind the hills. There was another kind of pain she could not ignore. A pain that Arya had cursed her with. The pain of Eragon's love that felt like a burning, red hot iron snake twist around her heart and tried to crush all life out of it. She knew the snake was not really there, and that the pain was not real either, for as soon as Eragon passed it stopped without a trace, not a sting, or an ache or anything lasting. She did not understand why Eragon's sorrow or rather love life was counted within the fields of 'misfortune'. No doubt it had been a disaster for Eragon's pride, but surely that did not count?

That would make every gone-wrong dinner, every terrible council, every failure a misfortune. Elva shook her head. _That can't be._ What then?

~O~

Eragon sat on his cot running his finger up and down the flat edge of Brisingr. Up and down. Up and Down. From afar it may have looked rather odd, a boy sitting on a cot stroking his sword with glazed over eyes staring into the distance. It made perfect sense to Eragon however. He was experimenting.

Multitasking. He was reaching out for consciences while doing something in his own body-stroking the sword.

Eragon's mind, partly crawling on the floor in the head of a beetle, was also contemplating the advantages of being able to be in multiple bodies at once and still move his own as if he was still there, in the tent, on his cot stroking the sword. _This is disturbing, _he thought making his own body laugh while paying full attention to the odd grey sphere the beetle had found on the ground.

_Welldone, you're six legged friend has found a pebble, _Saphira's voice flowed through his mind, pulling him away from the beetle and to his ever loyal, ever faithful companion.

Saphira snorted, letting smoke escape from her nostrils. Eragon rubbed his eyes and waited until they had adjusted to the darkness. Then he tiptoed to her and sat next to her.

"Eragon?" The voice made him shiver, even when he did not see the body. The person laughed.

"Hello Elva" Eragon replied. Elva hesitated, then she slunk towards where Eragon was sitting and stared at him. Her eyes reflected the light of the moon, turning it into two violet orbs. She had grown again. Her body looked at least 8. "Have you not stopped growing?"

She shook her head. "I can't" she whispered, "but that is irrelevant, I am here to warn you, Eragon Shadeslayer,"

Eragon listened intently, though he did not need to, since the Agaetí Blödhren.

"Do not participate, do not ride the dragon and do not go near the tunnels, if you however, go against my will, beware the elf girl and the greenest secret"

"What makes you say that?" Eragon uttered, irritated. No one knew about where they were going, only Arya, Nasuada and Saphira knew, and they would not tell Elva! Who knows what went on in that girls head, she was not trusted by anyone, no owned by anyone, no commanded. For a second Eragon felt a pang of envy.

"I spoke with a spirit" A childish glee sprang into her voice. "It came to me and trusted me with a message to you, and a message to Angela and the werecat" feeling she had said to much already, she leapt away and dashed away with three last words upo her lips "It was purple"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Beware the elf girl_. It was white, unbelievably Wight and brighter than the other spirits that surrounded it. _Beware the elf girl_, it said in Eragon's mind. It was Elva's voice that the spirit spoke with. They left him, alone in a clearing surrounded by the elves tree-sung-houses, where was he? Why was he there? Arya stepped out from the shadows. Why was it so dark? She was smiling. But her smile was too broad, her eyes to bright. "Do not fear me Eragon, I am your friend" She said. It sounded faint, like water bubbling at a stream far away. "I love you, do not fear me"_

_Eragon stepped back every time she stepped forwards, why wasn't he going any further away? How come, no matter how big a step he made, Arya always got closer, and closer, and closer? Eragon started running. _Saphira!_ He cried but there was no reply. _

_His path was cut off by a river. "Eragon don't run. I love you! Come to me, Eragon, please don't resist me"_

_Eragon turned around and swallowed hard. "Go away" he pleaded "leave me alone, please, I beg of you"_

"_Why do you not say my name Eragon Bromson?" Arya asked, still smiling._

"_Because __**you**__ are not Arya"_

_The elf's smile faded into a straight line, her eyebrows pointed towards her eyes in a deep scowl and she screamed "To Right I'm NOT Arya" it was not Arya's voice, it was Murtaghs._

Saphira nudged him so that he toppled onto the floor.

_I don't want to talk about what I dreamt;_ Eragon groaned lifting himself off the ground and wiping the dirt from his knees. He lifted his sword and charged towards Blodgharm, who had promised to spar with him. Blodgharm swiftly turned and dodged the blade, but Eragon had expected that, he stopped mid blow, swivelled around lunged at Blodgharm's side.

_Well, you should! If not me, talk to someone else about it! _Saphira continued.

_What Arya?_ Eragon snorted, _Great idea!_

Parry, retreat, lunge, retreat, turn, duck, lunge…

_No, not Arya, how about…Roran? _

Lunge, Parry, Lunge, retreat, turn, lunge…

_Oh yes, hello Roran, I know you are about to set off for battle, your wife is pregnant and she is worried about you getting your head cut off, but hey, do you mind if I load my problems on to your back too!_ He snapped

Lunge, lunge, duck, Parry, lunge, lunge...

LUNGE, lunge, lunge, turn, lunge, lunge, lunge…

Blodgharm yelped as his sword dropped to the floor. Eragon looked at the furry elf's hand and was shocked to see the crooked fingers hanging limply and at odd angles.

"I apologise!" Eragon called, sad that he had hurt the elf that he had become quite attached to. Eragon muttered the words of healing and in seconds 'blood wolfs' hand was better.

Blodgharm laughed "It is but the damage of battle, there is no need to apologise Shur'tugal, and thank you for this spar, you fought well, now rest, we have a battle ahead of us."

Eragon shook his blue hand and jumped upon Saphira. With one last look at Blodgharm, The dragon shot upwards. When Eragon tried to speak with Saphira, she blocked him and gave him but one word. Talk.

~O~

Jeod passed her the map silently. What were they up too? Nasuada nodded at him thankfully. Then she sent a messenger boy for King Orrin and another to find Eragon and Saphira.

"Let the battle commence!" Jeod cried half-heartedly smiling.

"Battle is not a laughing matter" Nasuada growled. Jeod nodded.

"And yet you send some into unnecessary ones" he commented "do not misunderstand me Nasuada, I am not misjudging your authority or opinion, I just do not understand why…" Jeod trailed off, leaving the unfinished question hanging in the air.

"Though you should not know about that, Jeod, there is reason in my seemingly 'ill thought out' plan" Nasuada replied rephrasing Arya's break out. Jeod bowed and apologised, and left excusing himself leaving Nasuada pondering about Arya. When King Orrin arrived at her tent she did not even stop to say hello.

"I need your take on something" She said. Orrin raised his eyebrows. "Eragon…The dragon rider, fell in love with Arya…"

"I don't think I know what this has got to do with me, or you for that matter Nasuada…"

"Let me finish Orrin! Yes, and she…denied him…ever since, whenever Eragon is with the girl, he is distracted, however, Arya is a brilliant warrior and when she is with him, she keeps him out of trouble…mostly. Should I therefore send her with him to fetch the egg or…"

Orrin looked at Nasuada for a long disbelieving second. "I…" he began slowly…"I believe, since Arya has more experience of egg…uh…carrying, she should join Eragon on their…uh…his quest…with others…"

~O~

Two-legs-sleeping chambers were being entered and left unbelievably often and quickly. Especially the sword-man-chamber was being visited. Saphira watched from above as the two-legs got ready for capture of Belatona. Saphira saw visions of fire, blood, houses, screaming people in her mind. She saw the tower, they had killed the shade Varaug.

A memory came back to her. Eragon on the stone floor curled up weeping, and before that… Oromis dying! Glaedr's pain, death, sorrow, so much sorrow. Saphira roared and burst out a flame that was larger than any flame she had let out before. Death to red-hatchling-Thorn, Death to son of Morzan, Death to Galbatorix!

_Saphira,_ Eragon's voice wormed through her shields, _I'll talk with you…_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

_Like an ants nest,_ Saphira reckoned. It was true. If you had replaced the town with a large pile of earth, in which each hole represented a house and each ant, a person, and then thrown a bunch of rocks and bits of gravel at it, it would look very similar to Belatona when the Varden attacked it. However, ants do not have magic, and Belatona did.

Eragon shielded his mind from an enemy who was trying to get within his mind and threw an attack at him. He was strong, but Eragon was stronger and he soon found what he needed.

_Arya, church tower, Blodgharm, there are two others, one is in an alley way, the other is in an inn called 'the cart wheel', _shortly later he heard Arya tell him that the man who had attacked his mind was dead and Blodgharm and three other elves were pursuing the two others.

Saphira swooped down and roasted a row of soldiers who were trying to push the half open gate, closed. Eragon put his hand over his nose, _that smell is revolting_ then Saphira landed and he sprang off her and pulled brisingr out of its sheath and started fighting off the soldiers who surrounded him.

Saphira knocked half of them over with her tail before swinging out her wings and flinging herself in the air.

A man charged towards Eragon screaming, right into Eragon's outstretched sword. Eragon backed against a wall and continued jabbing and parrying. The soldiers kept on coming always more that died and piled themselves before him. Until he had to move and found himself surrounded by at least two hundred soldiers.

"Ha!" Eragon cried making an attempt to crash through the soldiers, but the barred his way with swords. "Ah…yes, I see…" He muttered loud enough for the soldiers to hear.

_Saphira… _he called meanwhile in his mind.

He was answered with a picture of the other side of the town.

The sneers on the soldier's faces grew bigger and they started laughing.

"Lucky I still have the help of the unexpected," Eragon said loudly "deyja, atre ono" –die, all of you.

It was a meek and horrible thing to do, and it took so much energy that Eragon lost most of the energy he had saved on the belt of Belroth, energy he had added to for weeks.

_That was unsporting but most of all dangerous, it takes as much_ energy _as it would to do it with a sword_, Saphira barked at him, _you would have died if you hadn't have had the belt!_

Saphira landed beside him. _The fight is won, no shades, no thorn, no Murtagh_.

Eragon nodded.

~O~

In body one, in mind another?

Was that a warning, a prophecy, or just Elva's reckoning?

Arya walked down the streets of smoking Belatona. She could imagine it having been quite pretty once. The houses were painted with pictures of sea creatures wrecking boats, golden sunsets, animal filled forests and even dragons, but the pictures were covered in grime, the windows partly shattered or boarded up, the inside dark. What might have been clean and pretty was smouldering on the ground in black heaps surrounded by corpses so bloody that it was impossible to tell whether it was a soldier or a member of the Varden.

Maybe she was referring to the way the elves kept their feelings hidden? Was that such a crime? Arya sighed, angry at herself, though she was not sure why. A shadow raced across the ground. Arya looked up at Saphira.

_Saphira? _She asked but was met with shields. Arya withdrew and continued on her long lonely path to the camp. She walked at a human pace. Her mind involuntarily wandered to Faolin. Her mind replayed the scene she least wanted to remember.

_The trees loomed over them, the grass tickling the soles of the Elves feet. Arya was walking beside the horse carriage that carried Saphira's egg, Faolin was smiling and singing. Dancing about Arya like a young dear springs around its mother. He had written the poem himself, and the music, for her._

"_It has yet to find itself an end," he told her when it was finished. Arya had smiled._

"_It's beautiful, Faolin" she said gently. Faolin smiled, it was a wonderful smile, and stroked her hair. _

"_Like you then…" and that was when the horses had started to give out alarming noises._

_Arya had searched the grounds. "Urgals! And a sha…Faolin!"_

Arya stopped the rest of the memory, and returned her attention to reality, however she could not stop the last image of Faolin. _His face was white, his mouth open. "Arya, run" he'd cried. He had wasted his last words, on her._

~O~

Eragon was thinking about Brom, about Garrow, about Oromis and about Glaedr, why was it that everyone he befriended seemed to…

He did not even finish the thought, it worried him. What would that make Roran? Jeod, Nasuada, Blodgharm, Arya…was that a list of people to be killed?

**okay, sorry about this, but it's rather hard for me to check because i borrowed the first and second book from a friend and i only have the third; is it ever mentioned where abouts Galbatorix lives? or can i just make that up? PLEASE answer, i can't start the next chapter without it! :(**

**Anyway, um...answers: : 's more 'denial' Eragon doesn't want to believe that Elva might be referring to 'Arya' as a threat, and since that is connected with the other message...well...you know what i mean...i'm terrible at explaining. 2. well that's just dragons for you...3. thank you!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Eragon was talking about feelings. Something he like most other men was terrible at doing. Saphira was getting impatient. She had spent three hours pulling shreds of information out of Eragon. She had made it into a kind of game to entertain herself. Eragon had to shield his feelings from her and tell her himself. However three hours was enough to get bored of a game and Eragon opened his mind. The flood of emotions hit Saphira so hard she almost squealed, but gradually they subsided into one; fear.

"What did Elva mean?" Eragon said aloud, startling a crowd of birds.

Saphira looked at him, _ask her._

_She is not exactly on good terms with me_, Eragon reminded her

_She is not on bad terms with you either_, she pointed out. Eragon frowned. Saphira felt his shame of the mistake he had made.

Arya burst through the undergrowth which startled Eragon. Saphira had been aware of the girl for quite some time because of the wind direction, but not warned Eragon for reason's she did not know, but believed to be important.

"Eragon!" Arya called as if she had not just run a number of leagues. "The camp is moving, you two better catch up"

Eragon was standing upright in a flash. "Would you like a lift?" He asked as if her answer did not matter to him, which Saphira could tell, it did.

Arya nodded "That would be appreciated"

Finally a sign of weariness! Saphira grinned to herself.

Eragon clambered on to her and helped Arya up, who did not decline his outstretched hand. Then she set off and an uncomfortable silence loomed between the two. No one seemed willing to break the silence until finally Arya gave in.

"Nasuada's plan is unbelievable!" she moaned "while The Varden is attacking Dras-Leona, we are going to be sneaking into the mad man's castle and stealing the egg! What is she going to do when Murtagh appears in Dras-Leona! What if her spies are wrong and He is still at the castle. What if Galbatorix has found a way to shield his castle from any flying animal BUT Thorn?"

Both Saphira and Eragon were surprised at the usually cold and dismissing elf ranting about her worries. Her worries, what about Eragon's worries! Then it was Saphira's turn alone to be surprised, for what streamed from Eragon was joy, JOY. The Elf was giving him hope only to take it away again!

Saphira wobbled in her flight, silencing the elf.

"Aye" Eragon said. "I know"

Though she was not sure whether it was to Arya or herself.

~O~

Arya had no idea where the words came from. Dozens of them poured out of her mouth like a waterfall.

_Time to be quiet now,_ she thought to herself then as Saphira jostled. It had felt so good! Speaking her mind to someone who understood. It sent happiness through her veins when Eragon answered his rather short but effective answer. _Are you sure that it is just relief?_ The voice in the back of her head cautioned. She shut it out. Perhaps that was what Faolin had thought after admitting his love for her in a long and metaphor filled poem.

After a while they spotted the Varden in the distance, riding or walking in a large crowd.

It's beautiful up here, Arya sent to Eragon, for Saphira had picked up speed and the wind was so loud it was impossible to hear anything. Saphira flew higher, over the clouds and the wind calmed a little.

Eragon turned his head so that he could look at her. "aye, beautiful,"

Arya looked down at the clouds. Why did she have the urge to smile back at him? Saphira seemed to stop in mid-air. Then they were falling. Unable to grab anything else Arya put her arms around Eragon's waste, who, equally stunned, was fumbling with the wrist straps.

_Saphira, what's going on! _

The dragoness spread out her wings rapidly and soared less than a mile above the ground.

_Nothing,_ she replied and shielded her mind.

Arya blinked and realised she was still clinging to Eragon's waist. She slid her hands to her sides. "sorry" she muttered. Saphira snorted.

~O~

Eragon was cheerful. He taught Saphira several tunes he had sung when he was back in Carvahall, and gave her numerous riddles to puzzle about. In his mind though, he was wondering why Saphira had really decided to dive downwards, a stunt that easily could have had both him and Arya killed.

They had let Arya down as soon as they had reached the Varden and were soaring high over their heads. It was late afternoon and the sun stood behind them.

"I have one for you:

What does man love more than life

Fear more than death or mortal strife,

What the poor have, the rich require,

and what contented men desire,

What the miser spends and the spendthrift saves

And all men carry to their graves?"

Eragon asked. He heard Saphira thinking.

_Nothing, _she reckoned after a while, _I'm getting good at this aren't I?_

_I have another riddle for you o clever beauty of the skies,_ Eragon revealed dramatically, _It is that of a dragon, who when a girl we'll call A, and a boy we'll call B, climbed onto her, taking that it was a she, the dragon decided to imitate falling without warning, to which the boy reacted in desperate knot-tying and the girl to desperate squeeze-the-life-out-of-the-person-in-front-of-you-ing. Is there an explanation to this odd event?_

Saphira was still for a while. _Yes_, she answered swiftly, but said no more.

**Okay, did you like it? Hopefully you did, because I missed my dinner because of it…(long story short; I've been writing for a while and my mum came in and told e to stop, and I didn't so I didn't get food, except, my mum's not good at punishments that involve long term staying in your room/house, so she's making me cheese toast now (no need for childline!(joking)))**

**Justmeagain123: I want to make it shorter to 'jma' but it reminds me to much of 'jimjams' which is what I used to call pygamas, anyway, I'm working on it, and I need to get Solembum to appear and remind him about certain things…no not what you think, please don't kill me**

**CouldBe**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_Falling. He was falling. The air rushing passed his ears, his arms outstretched and a maddened smile slapped across his smile. Why was he falling? Where was he falling? _Saphira! _he called out in his mind. The grin faded. No answer. _Saphire is dead._ Who had told him that? _Thorn, it's me, thorn, and I'm sorry, I killed her. _The voice was calm. Like water gently tapping the sides of the cliff that forms the river bank. The words were gentle. The message was poison. It did not fit together. _

What do you mean dead? She can't be dead! _A sudden horror burst through Eragon's lunges. Where was her voice, in his mind, soothing his pain? Where was the bond that let him feel what she felt? Where was that other half of his heart? Half his life? Half his personality?_

Yet she is_, the watery voice replied._

_The fall was quickening. He saw clouds underneath him._ I'm going to die,_ He realised. Then he remembered it did not matter. He was already half dead any way. Only half alive. _

~O~

Arya watched the boy. It was a horrible show. His Sheet had dropped from the bed lying in a pile at the bottom of the foot side of his bed. The light from the moon illuminated his pale face. His lips were blue, they were so tightly pressed together. Tears flowed from his eyes. Oh the tears. He was crying, rocking back and forth, and that in his sleep. Saphira looked at Arya. The hope in her eyes made Arya's conscience sting.

_Please wake him, _she begged. _He is killing himself._

Arya looked at her in alarm and received instead of an explanation a pain so unbearable, Arya fell to her knees. It was an indescribable sorrow. She remembered Faolin's death, she felt the torture she had suffered in Gil'ead, she recalled the strength it took her not to love Eragon, that and so much more, she experienced at once and it still did not cover the pain Saphira showed.

_What brings this…_Arya could not find a suitable word.

_Me_, Saphira whimpered and she looked longingly at Eragon. _He won't wake, in his mind I am dead and there is nothing I can do to convince him that it is not true._

Arya wobbly stood up, holding herself up on Saphira's mighty leg. Then once she had recovered, she walked over to his bed and sat beside him, put both her hands on his face, leant down and whispered. "she lives" in the ancient language. The tears stopped. Arya smiled, putting her hands in her lap. She looked at her fingers awaiting Eragon's awakening. However she could not, and instead, kissed him on the cheek and fled. Away from Saphira's watchful eye. Away from Eragon's half elf face. Away. Away. Away! But she smiled.

~O~

Eragon slowly got his vision back. The film of tears made his vision blurry as he sat up.

"Saphira!" Eragon cried joyfully, leaping from his bed and out into the cold wintery morning. Saphira was sitting proudly, her eyes displaying concern and joy and…amusement? Eragon decided to ignore it and instead hung round her neck.

_I want to fly, _Eragon told her, and it made him laugh at how childish it sounded, _not for duty or fighting or observation, I want to fly._

Saphira started beaming with glee. _I'm sure something can be arranged._ She admitted, but Eragon was already on her back and she was already crouching ready to launch.

~O~

He was asleep, that doesn't count. Arya tried to convince herself. It did not work. She just could not get rid of the terrible grin that took place beneath her pale nose. She felt giddy. Just like when she had been with…

The smile finally ceased. Faolin. The guilt overcame her. Her mask returned, and no trace of the joy remained.

She removed herself from her tent and sprinted into the forest where she took out her bow. It was a beautiful bow, with carvings of figures from ballads and songs. It had been carved by…

Angrily Arya dropped the bow. Faolin. She kicked at a stone. It flew against a young tree that snapped. Arya held her head. It hurt. The tree. Arya lifted the bent wood, only as thick as her wrist, off the ground, held it to the bottom half and quietly sang it back together.

Then she sank to the floor beneath it. What was she doing?

Then it came. The most beautiful object that could ever have flown besides Saphira. A grass ship made in upmost detail hovered by. Arya watched in amazement as the ship lowered towards her hand, touched it for the slightest of seconds, then lifted once more and glided away.

_Even after all this time! _She thought and chuckled. It struck her that it had not actually been all that long ago, but so much had happened in between, since Faolin, since the egg had been lost…

Arya shook her head. "Faolin, I love you, but I will move on, shall it not be for Eragon, then for someone else, a same aged elf perhaps, but I cannot dwell on what is done." She spoke her heart and it released a peace inside her that she had not felt since even before Faolin, before the egg, in times she lived as a child, hailed and loved by all the people. Times of youth when she had nothing to worry about but the trees and the animals or which of her many outfits she would wear the next day.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

More travelling. More moving. More burdens and pain. Elva groaned. She had stayed with the Varden and she was going to until Galbatorix was overthrown at which point she would be forgotten. She would live in some lonely unvisited corner of the land where no person would find her and she could grow in her inhuman way until she died, or if she died.

She had figured Eragon had ignored her advice, or actually the spirits. Elva grinned. She admired them. They were amazing, floaty creatures, like living stars. Purple. It was purple. She had noticed Eragon's sceptic looks in her direction. They were not always sceptic. Sometimes they were full of fear or anger.

The pain inside him had shrank. He was preoccupied with something. He talked little, at least verbally, he ate little and most of all he slept little. His cousin was worried. Why does he care? Elva asked herself. Eragon had not visited him in weeks, maybe months.

Roran had come to her in the morning.

"I saw you leave Eragon's tent" He had said accusingly. She had looked at him once from under her longer growing fringe but other whilst had lacked reaction which angered the man. "What did you tell him, why is he so…so…"

"distracted?" She had helped. Roran nodded. "I'm not sure, I thought that was usual…he did that while blessing a child once…being distracted, apparently she had to suffer a horrible burden, although, it might just have been the lack of knowledge,"

Roran viewed the girl from toe to eye, where he stopped and looked at his shoes. "Why do you hold a grudge against him? He did what he could!"

Elva had let out a twinkling little girls laugh then. "I hold nothing!" she had cried "I carry nothing but the clothes on my back!"

At which point Angela had interrupted by acting outraged "Carry nothing but the clothes on your back young girl? Well then you won't mind the slightest when you help me carry my belongings" and loading a pile of oddly shaped objects into her arms, so high that Elva could not look over it.

That brought her there, carrying a pan and a book trotting beside an overloaded old horse.

~O~

"It is unusual for a dream to be so…intense" Angela commented after Eragon had finished. "Are you saying you could not hear Saphira even though you are bonded…"

Eragon nodded starting to regret the decision to give in to Saphira's plan. Her arguments had been very persuasive and truthful, but now that the moment had passed…

He could feel Elva's perforating stare at the back of his neck and Angela's secrecy of her knowledge itching under his skin. Eragon pretended to swot a fly away.

"I wonder…" Angela began.

_You wonder often and a lot and I sometimes wish you didn't_, Eragon thought to himself.

_Caution, little one,_ he heard in return. Somewhere above the clouds, Saphira was circling.

"I would have to discuss it with some of your elf protectors, Eragon" Angela said, eyeing Blodgharm and the his other elves, Eragon had asked to stand a further away. He had no doubt the elves could still hear them, but it was better than nothing.

Without further word Angela trundled to the blue furred elf and started discussing.

"You don't believe me do you" he heard the awful voice murmur from behind. He pretended he did not hear, but Elva just chortled.

He heard the voices again. Stupid boy, stupid boy, stupid boy.

Eragon concentrated back onto reality. He noticed Blodgharms worried looks. Angela's wide eyes and twitching mouth and he realised he preferred to listen to his seemingly schizophrenic head. Was he insane?

…..

They had set up camp at sun down. Eragon was sitting against Saphira thinking about what Angela had said and that was; nothing. Silence was a horrible thing. It could mean any emotion; anger, misery, joy, or worry…

Eragon had done nothing wrong, so it definitely was not anger, misery could easily be crossed out and it was unquestionably not joy. That left worry. Worry could be, as Eragon had witnessed many times before, very ruthless, especially if other people start worrying about you.

Eragon viewed the opening to his 'room' miserably, turned over and thought to Saphira,_ I am sleeping here tonight. _Saphira had not answered, but put her wing over him.

~O~

Forced imagery. That was impossible. _Not impossible, just very, very tiring_, Arya corrected herself. Dreams like Eragon's could only be from a very powerful spellcaster. Angela's theory was that Eragon was receiving messages, or threats through his dreams. It was possible, with the help of the other 11, Blodgharm had proved that it was possible to place an image inside another person's mind while their mind was unshielded. What the person's imagination formed around that image was not possible to control but usually collected feelings that the pictures awoke. Surreal or dark images could for example lead one to believe that all was lost and that one's nearest is dead. They could also bring back information the 'victim' had apparently forgotten.

Unshielded? Eragon's mind was rarely entirely unshielded. Even in his sleep his mind was impenetrable. How then…?


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten

Roran watched his cousin from a far. His looks were blank. His face untouched by emotion. _He has become an elf,_ Roran reckoned. It was human to show worry. It was human to show fear. Why was Eragon refusing to do so? Roran saw Helgrind appear in the distance and shuddered. Katrina put his hand on his arm soothingly. The memories that lay there were still settling, and he feared that reawakening them would break him beyond fixing. He recalled his Cousin's miserable face, sending Saphira away. Away so that they were safe. Why did he purposely cause himself so much pain? He thought of the weeks he had assumed Eragon dead. He had cried during those weeks. _God damn you Eragon!_ He cursed. Then he could not stop himself. He stroked Kritrina's expanding tummy and stomped towards the large blue creature that carried Eragon like a king.

One of the elves stood in his way. "I'm his cousin" Roran told the scaled woman before him in an outraged voice. Her forked tongue flicked out of her mouth. At first Roran interpreted it as an insult, but when, twenty seconds later she repeated the movement, he realised she could not help it.

"The Rider has wished not to be disturbed" she told him. Her accent was strange.

"Let him pass" at first Roran could not place the sound. Stunned, he realised it was Eragon who spoke so quietly. He sounded old. He sounded like an old man who had been through much hardship and worry. Roran barely noticed the lizard lady step aside.

"what is it Roran?" Again that voice! A man tired of the earth around him, tired of the punishment…or just…tired…

Only now did Roran notice the purple bags bulging from beneath Eragon's eyes. "You have had sleepless nights, Eragon" he commented, swallowing.

Eragon gave him a wary smile. The bags seemed to subside a little. "bad dreams" he explained. Roran did not miss the warning look that the blue furry elf shot Eragon.

"something seems to be worrying you" Roran brought up, stepping closer. Eragon stepped closer. "bad dreams" Eragon insisted once more, earning yet another stare from the elf.

Just that? Roran felt suddenly out of place, walking beside Saphira, surrounded by elves. "alright then…make sure you get, some more rest then…and…and eat properly" he stuttered, excusing himself because of Katrina and hurrying away. _Something is not right._

~O~

Eragon sighed as he watched Roran rush away. 'bad dreams' there was the understatement of the century. He tried his best not to remember the dream that had plagued him even beneath the shielding wing of Saphira. Of course it had luckily been much easier to wake him then…

_A room. Red stone built the walls, and candles hung in iron baskets. Not a room, a hall. A beautiful hall. At day, light could stream through the windows, light up the patterned floor, the lifted platform with instruments and an even higher podium with two chairs. Two mighty chairs. However at night it was an ill lit death trap with who knows what lurking in the shadows._

"_So you came!" a voice sounded. A voice he had only heard once before. Through another person's ears, from another person's mouth. "That makes everything so much easier, why Eragon, what a hero you are!" Galbatorix._

_Eragon looked away from the shadows in shame. "have you thought our little…discussion over?" the voice continued. "it's an easy choice to make, Eragon, very simple. Yes, or no? life or death? Glory or pain?"_

_Eragon glared at the shadows. "Glory!" he yelled "What you offer is no glory, it is slavery!"_

_The shadow showed no hesitation. How could it? It was after all just a black gap in Eragon's eyesight. It made him wonder. His eyesight was amazing since the Agaet__í__ Bl__ö__dhren, howcome he could not see the figure he knew to be just beyond the light?_

"_Yes, or no?"_

_Eragon looked up at the ceiling. "yes" he muttered._

"_louder!" the man hissed._

"_YES!" I screamed at him. The man chuckled. "you are a disappointment Eragon. To your people, your friends, your loved ones…are you not ashamed?" _

_Eragon did not answer. "Well then, prepare that…uh…dragon of yours and we'll be off in the morning"_

"_doing what?"_

_The man laughed and a shiver went down Eragon's spine. "you are MY rider now, 'shade slayer' I am your master, you will obey me"_

Not painful. Not full of feelings. Straight forward and thoughtless, like a play. Eragon saw himself in shame. He did not feel the shame. Yet it was just as horrifying.

_A dream, it mean's nothing! _Saphira called. They had opened all bounds, placed forth any secrets, yet Eragon felt that there was a secret Saphira had not uncovered, but he trusted her judgement, as much as the curiosity burnt him, he felt that he would regret discovering the secret. _No, _he replied, _it means something. Someone is trying to threaten or warn me… _Finally someone had explained to him what Angela's theory was. It sounded horrible. Why did his walls let through whatever was causing these night mares? He had worked so hard to build them up! To keep them in place for longer than a few minutes. He knew Saphira's walls were just as strong, if not stronger. How? Who? Why? What? When? Oh yes, when. When was whoever, or whatever it was, placing these images into his head? At night? Saphira had a terribly light sleep, she would hear it if anyone was giving nightly visits.

Eragon looked mournfully up at Helgrind. He was dreading every moment of the battle for Dras-Leona.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so I would like to turn you attention to another story I wrote with the help of a friend. Me and Justmeagain123 wrote this story (on a sleepover, while making pizza and trying to play a board game at the same time, now THAT's what I call multitasking) so as you can imagine it's litarary quallity is...limited, but, if you are in to mad, crazy and occasionally funny stories (atleast WE think it's funny, but we laugh about everything! :)) i suggest checking out 'be careful what you wish for'. Flames are welcome but please don't just say 'it's rubbish' atleast say WHY! oh yeah and don't forget to REVIEW!<strong>

**Warning: It is COMPLETELY different to this one, different style, different word use, different...so on...so...i don't know, i just thought i would warn you beforehand so you would not send me messages complaining about it...eh...please don't hate me... :(**

**PS: it is under Justmeagain's or her new nickname 'Jam 123's' account.**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Dras-Leona had been captured. They had new members in their 'army' and even a new wizard. Nasuada was proud of the Varden. Yet something was not right. In the back of her head she replayed the hour long scenes again and again, trying to remember each and every detail until finally she realised what it was. She had shot many worried looks towards the sky, but every single time she had been relieved to see no Thorn and no Murtagh. Now it worried her. They had not turned up in Belatona either. What were they doing? Waiting? Expecting? Nasuada's whole plan crumbled to pieces before her eyes. She had been waiting for Thorn's appearance, so that she could send Saphira, Arya, Blodgharm and Eragon to Urû'baen to find the egg, and be sure that they would not be attacked by Thorn without warning.

Eragon and Arya walked into the tent at the same time, bumping into each other clumsily. Eragon went red. Arya looked at her feet. Nasuada looked at her wondering if her theory was true…was the elf in…? Suddenly she realised they were both looking at her, so she coughed and brought them the news.

"You are to travel with us to Urû'baen, and while we are attacking the town, you will fetch the egg." 'Fetch', she made it sound so easy for them did she not? Nasuada hated it sometimes, her ability to make things sound like they were the opposite of the truth. She watched the puzzled expressions jump on to their faces and was about to explain when Eragon jumped up. "fine," he agreed and left the pavilion. Nasuada now had the her turn at wearing the puzzled expression. Arya sighed "he has not got much patients these days…" she excused him, standing up herself. "thank you for telling us lady Nasuada" Then she left.

~O~

Eragon walked through the tent town, straight to his tent.

_And? _Saphira me him, when he strode passed her into the tent.

_We are only leaving when we reach Urû'baen, _he replied bluntly.

_What are you up to? _Saphira interrogated suspiciously.

Eragon stopped untying his boots, unaware he had even been undoing them and looked up from his cot. _I don't know,_ he answered a little amused. He took off his boots, watched the sun go down, then lay down on the bed and fell asleep immediately.

Saphira watched it with bewilderment, but when she tried to contact him , all she heard was a sound like wind whistling through a cave. She looked about the tent, around the tent, flew into the air and watched the people around the tent. What was happening?

~O~

_A field of flowers surrounded Eragon. They smelt sweet, like flowers tend to, and although everything felt unbelievably realistic, Eragon was aware that he was dreaming. He looked about, but there was nothing but flowers, hundreds and hundreds of flowers. What on earth was going on here? Eragon sat on the ground and picked one of the flowers. It was blue, like Saphira, and it had claw shaped wings. The flower moved. Or were his eyes deceiving him? No, there it was again! T was twitching with its claw-leaves. Then the leaves turned blue, as did the stem, it grew thicker and bumpier, rougher, until the baby dragon he had once kept in the woods that had surrounded him in Carvahall, lay before him once more. "Hello Saphira" Eragon said and stroked the little dragons belly. The baby let out a puff of smoke and a sound that was similar to a cat purring. The smoke cloud grew, and when Eragon looked at it, it grew. A gigantic, ash grey dragon appeared where the smoke had floated. It looked adoringly at Saphira. Then it lifted its head and blew a flame of fire, that grew wings and floated onto the field, an orange dragon. In this manner a hundred or more dragons, all different colours, appeared on the meadow of flowers. "Who are you all?" Eragon wondered smiling to himself. Burgundy, green, Indigo, apricot, taupe, chestnut…so many colours, they seemed like a field of flowers themselves. The dragons all looked at each other._

The question is what are we all, _A salmon coloured Dragon revealed to him._

"_What are you all then?" Eragon asked cautiously._

Lost,_ the grey dragon said sadly_, but you can help us Eragon and you will.

~O~

Eragon awoke. He had liked his dream and he was amazed to find that it was well into the morning. He had slept a whole night, and oh did it make him feel good. He stretched his arms and legs, felt underneath his eyes for the horrible bags. They were gone.

_You! _Saphira cried at him. He smiled at her as he left the tent.

He felt her anger melt.

_Very well, _she said, _it was for a good cause, but now we must fly, the others are hours ahead of us!_

Only then did Eragon realize, his was the only tent.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Elva glared at the floor she was walking on. This was an outrage. Yet how could she resist.

"Would you like to fly with Eragon and Arya to fetch the egg?" Nasuada had asked her, not even a welcome had come across her lips before she had burst out with the appalling question.

No, no she did not want to put her life in danger for an EGG which they may or may not get to. However, she refused to ignore the spirit who had told her that when the time came, she would have to go. The spirit's exact message had been brought to her in form of an image. It was a picturing of her in a little forest with Eragon, Arya and Blodgharm standing in the centre.

She was going to go. She had to. Whether it was because Nasuada had asked her or another reason that had-would draw her to that place, she did not know. Although Elva had started forming a theory that the spirit had shown the picture to her so that she assumed that she had to be there and therefore had to say yes to Nasuada when the time came and would not give a second thought because she was supposed to think that something else had led her there, but whenever she tried to form that into words and discuss it with Angela, it gave her an awful headache.

Elva saw a blue light piercing through the clouds and figured Eragon had caught up. Nasuada had told her that after waiting for Elva's answer to her terribly rash question. It had never came so Nasuada had apologised, thanked Elva for meeting her and offered water. In a business-like fashion, Nasuada proceeded to try and convince Elva to leave with Eragon, as if she was trying to heckle for a sheep and not asking her to put her life in danger.

"I shall think about it" Elva answered to Nasuada's clear discomfort and exasperation. Elva knew as well as Nasuada that she was going to go, but Nasuada could not tell her to do anything until Elva had reached her conclusion, and that, exactly was what Elva wanted to do.

~O~

Saphira soared high above the clouds looking down at the ant sized people and admiring their courage. _They're going to have a hard time fighting in Urû'baen, _she thought to herself. _Perhaps that is why Nasuada is sending Eragon away, so that he can resist all temptations to kill himself for his friends. Not that killing himself for an egg is any better. _She felt Eragon imagining a grave stone with the words 'Eragon Bromson, killed by an egg' engraved into it. _I'd prefer it if you did not start designing your own grave just yet. _She told him. She heard Eragon laughing and nervously letting his fingers crawl up the scales on her neck.

She told him a riddle so that he could keep himself busy and continued soaring. She wished she could do her aerobatics, but Nasuada had asked her if she could do it out of sight. The people had been very distracted at that moment and an attack could come at any such a moment, the effects could be lethal.

So she made herself happy by going slowly higher and higher until Eragon told her to stop because he could barely breathe.

Thereafter she amused herself by 'melting clouds' when she discovered wherever she blew fire, the clouds disappeared. Eragon seemed to find it just as entertaining.

~O~

Eragon watched the sun go down once again. How many sunsets had he watched since Saphira had hatched for him? Almost a year full. He had had Saphira for a year and yet it seemed so much longer. He watched the orange, pink and red stripes spread across the clouds, getting deeper and darker the lower the sun got. The orange turned dark red, the pink turned purple; the red was a rich dark blue.

It seemed like a century since the egg had appeared in the spine. Eragon thought back on the year. That was more adventure, horror, misery, joy, surprise, and problems he could have dealt with in two lives if he had never found the egg. He didn't regret a second of it. Except perhaps, Elva.

**Yes, I know it's a short chapter…even SHORTER chapter, than usual, but I think that the excitement is starting in the next chapter…HOWEVER, not that it has anything to do with THIS story, OR as a matter a fact what I just wrote, but…oh well, I need MALE ELF names. Call it a contest, competition or just suggestions, whatever, I REALLY do need one…two…or maybe three…you get the picture…**

**JAm 123: 1) nice try, but I'm not telling anything! 2) why? She was only doing her job! Then again, maybe you will think I just said that to bring you off the right path. And maybe you will think I said THAT because you weren't on the right path anyway. Or maybe…**

**R.S: heh…heh…heh…*starts thinking desperately*. No I'm joking…I think**


	13. Chapter 13

**okay...so it's _starting_ to get interesting...i'm probably going to start making the chapters a LITTLE longe from now on, so be patient...err...yeah, enjoy!**

Urû'baen was a large place, much larger than Feinster, Belatona or Dras-Leona. Eragon found himself remembering Angela's words "she's doomed, you're doomed, we're all doomed!" because it did indeed seem a little too optimistic when the Varden told each other they were going to sweep through the streets like a broom through a kitchen. Who knows, maybe they would, maybe the people of Urû'baen were sick and tired and would surrender to the Varden. At which point Eragon heard the other part of the conversation "see how I did not mention what kind of doom, that means whatever happens, I predicted it…" or something along those lines. Eragon shook his head smiling. What a weirdly wonderful woman. They were close to Urû'baen now. Tomorrow morning Arya, Elva, Blodgharm and he were already going to be at Galbatorix castle and then Nasuada would launch her attack.

Elva was riding on Saphira with him and the two elves were running. They had had a head start of two hours and Saphira was desperate to catch up with them, obviously viewing the occasion as a race. Or maybe it was just to pass the time. Elva was surprisingly mild-mannered. The sharp edge in her voice had left and she tried to speak without her grownups voice and in a childish 7 year-olds voice. He wondered whether Elva had always had the ability to switch her voices, or if it was a new development.

_Next opening, land, I think it's about a quarter of a mile ahead of us, but I'm not sure, the animals are unclear._

_Already over it! _Saphira boasted, swooping down. Why did Arya have to tell him? Saphira had been right. Her fly with him had caused him more pain than joy. More longing. More love.

Saphira landed just as the two elves appeared noiselessly from the woods.

"Yes?" He asked. They had greeted themselves before Nasuada had sent them off, and he thought it a waste of time to greet them again.

It was not Arya, but Blodgharm who decided to speak out loud. "Nasuada presented us with a mirror and told us to contact her as many times as possible, including twice during the journey and once when we have arrived."

_So that she knows when we are dead and she can spread the news_, Eragon thought grimly.

With those words Blodgharm nodded at Arya who removed the necklace she had hanging around her neck, opened the round pendant at the bottom and revealed a small thumb-print sized mirror. Arya spoke in the ancient language what meant as much as 'glass let me communicate'. Her reflection subsided and an upside down image of feet was visible.

"Err…Nasuada?" Eragon spoke into the mirror. The image blurred and Nasuada's face was visible. By the way she seemed to be holding the mirror, Eragon realised it must be a ring. "Hello again Eragon, are things going well?"

Eragon wanted to nod, but realising, that it might be difficult to see on a ring, he answered in words. "Aye, but how much longer is it until we can see the castle, we have been travelling since morning, at high speeds."

Nasuada hesitated. "Only a little while longer" she replied.

~O~

Worried. He was worried about getting there on time because Nasuada had not told him. She had told Arya and Blodgharm and Elva, but not Eragon. They had to keep him on the right track. Away from Urû'baen, away from Galbatorix castle. Anything to keep him out of the way until the end.

Arya felt a disgust towards Nasuada which she tried to keep under control, but she could not help it. Elva was with them because she was useful, and she could die of the pain, since she could not ignore entire wars yet. Blodgharm was with because he was a worthy protector and a good steady magician, and Arya…Arya was with because if she died, Eragon would willingly kill himself for her.

Arya glowered at the mirror and then searched the sky for Saphira. They were ahead of her and Blodgharm.

Why did Nasuada not send all of Eragon's friends with him as well, JUST IN CASE. What about Roran? Then Arya realised just how terrible the plan was. Roran was too good a fighter, too good a leader. Eragon had to hold through to the end, he had to be ready when the time came and he had to face Galbatorix, so they had to draw out the fight. Make it longer. Sacrifice more people.

Blodgharm seemed to have been thinking the same.

_This is wrong, _he spoke to her, _he deserves to know and make his own decisions. _He sounded like a father. She made a mental note never to tell Eragon that thought even if…

_Yes, _She replied. _We should tell him._

_Speak with Nasuada first. _Blodgharm replied. Arya agreed, _let us give her a chance to redeem herself, _she thought to herself.

~O~

The ring was a mistake. It was difficult to see and it took her a long time to realise when they were contacting her. However at the time it had seemed like the most convenient object Nasuada had ever owned.

"Nasuada, we need to talk to you." Arya. Nasuada frowned, they had only spoken 20 minutes ago, why was she already contacting her again? Horror picked at her emotion when the question what had happened? Rose to her head. She lifted her hand infront of her as if signalling to stop and looked into the mirror. Arya and Blodgharm. Alone.

"We don't think it is fair to leave Eragon in the dark, he has more right to know than anyone." Blodgharm pronounced.

Nasuada's lips puckered. "It is for the safety of the ONLY VARDEN rider that he does not…"

How could they go back on their promises like that! Eragon had to stay in good health or else…Nasuada could not even bear to think of the consequences.

Arya, although her face was left unmoved, grew unbelievably angry and said quietly but furiously "He thinks he is going to steal the egg, not battle Galbatorix! Who knows how many Heart of hearts he has"

Nasuada let out a small grin "398" she gave away. Arya's eyebrows shot up.

"What?" she questioned in a disbelieving tone.

"The heart of hearts, there are 398 of them, they are in an underground tunnel directly underneath the castle and reachable through a trap door in Galbatorix chambers" Arya seemed to be rethinking.

"That makes the matters worse…" She concluded, shaking her head. "it's impossible,"

Nasuada sighed. She realised that Arya was questioning her leadership and judgement, even if she claimed she wasn't. This was going to be a tricky one…

~O~

What neither Arya, Blodgharm or Nasuada knew, was that the deed was done and Eragon had spooned the information out of Elva. The fact was, he had realised, all three of his other companions had known about the mirror. Why had he not heard about it? Then he realised they must have talked alone, without him. What other information had they hidden from him?

Arya and Blodgharm stood discussing angrily what would or could happen in Nasuada's plan, when suddenly Arya grew aware of a very loud whooshing sound, like an unbelievably strong wind or…

She did not have time to finish her thoughts for just that second she was swept of her feet and when she looked down, she realised in horror that she was dangling at least a mile in the air.

_**HOW DARE YOU.**_The Dragon screamed in her head. The sentence was lined was balls of hate, disgust, distrust and disappointment.

_**HOW COULD YOU?**_ This time it was lined with fear, worry and desolation. Arya realised, Saphira was mirroring Eragon's thoughts and feelings as well as hers.

_**WHY WOULD YOU?**_ Saphira.

_**WHY…**_The last one was the worst. It was not Saphira but Eragon who sent it to her the message and it was not lined with feelings but with pictures. Roran and Katrina. Eragon when he told Arya the first time he loved her. Eragon and Arya at the camp fire. The grass ship. Thorn. Murtagh. Brom. The Ra'zac. The dream of Saphira dying…

Arya clamped her hands over her eyes. The pictures stopped and she wept. The first time she had wept since Faolin's death. The tears came slowly, unused to brimming to the surface. Why was she so weak? She wiped her tears away ashamed. The she looked up at the body of the massive blue creature.

_Tell him I'm sorry._

_Tell him yourself._

* * *

><p><strong>okay answers to my <em>MANY, MANY<em> reviews... come on people! i'd appreciate a little help :( anyway, oh well, here:**

**Emi.B: soz about the nickname, yes...kinda, but my chapters are always short**

**R.F: well...not exactly, more just a fill in of information i hate jumping in time, a week is usually my limit...**

**JAm123: NO! not telling! wierd how things change...last time we spoke u hated her!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Eragon sat a good throw away around his own little fire. Arya, Blodgharm and Elva sat around the other, much larger fire and watched him.

Arya had been doing it for quite a while longer. She watched as Eragon had slowly collected the wood and made a fire with his own hands. Without magic. Whether it was to distract himself or just to remind himself what was real, Arya did not know, but it seemed like an inviting idea. However she did not wish to insult Blodgharm who had spent quite a while searching for as many large and dead no-damp pieces of wood as he could before lighting it with the now well-known word 'brisingr'. Why did everything have something to do with Eragon?

Eragon was cutting into a de-barked stick. His hands were shaking and he obviously was not concentrating properly since every few minutes loud curses were to be heard from the corner of the camp. He was not making any attempts to heal his fingers, just wrapping them up in cloth and continuing to whittle-or try to.

What could she do?

_Leave him be, he needs time, _her mind told her, but her heart was disagreeing. Logic against feeling, the most dangerous dance…

"You do realise he is going to end up doing something really, really reckless and irresponsible don't you?" Elva murmured into her.

Arya stared daggers into her, but she just raised her brows. "You were going to tell him yourself weren't you?" distrustful, cautious…since when had she ever cared for Eragon? Elva seemed to have read her thoughts for she said "I don't but…" she looked at Eragon "I know what it is like to be the person sitting in the corner…the _outcast_" She was about to reply that Eragon was not an outcast when she realised, that was exactly what he was.

He had been neglected, the odd one out and under a lot of pressure the entire time, and she had done nothing but made it worse.

Logic got the better of feeling; Eragon needed time to dwell on the situation.

~O~

_It is time, little one, are you sure you want to do this_? Saphira's voice hauled Eragon from his dreams- Night mares, again.

Eragon had taken all his belongings apart from the scroll and the book and was very happy that he therefore had spare clothes and something warm to put on in the first hours of the morning.

_Saphira! It's snowing!_ Eragon called to her excitedly. His feelings were taken over by a childish glee. He danced about; catching snowflakes on his tongue, until he caught sight of the two bodies huddled in blankets around a smouldering black patch. All last night's memories and feelings came rushing back.

Saphira growled, Eragon turned and found Saphira standing beside Saphira slowly reaching out to her with her hand, but the dragon was not going to let that happen. Eragon started, falling face first into the 10 centimetre snow.

"You didn't expect to get away that easily did you." Arya pointed out.

Eragon shook his head, "You're not going to stop me though" he said determined.

"no…I…" she looked from Saphira to Eragon "I'm coming with you" Then she looked at the ground. "I think"

…

Eragon was not sure what to feel neither did his body. His hands were sweating, his heart was fluttering, his eyes were wide open, and his eyebrows were furrowed in a half sad half angry position that caused him a great headache and confusion.

"Err…no…alright…no wait…you better…perhaps you should stay…or…" He trailed off hearing the breathing behind him grow steadily less even, they were waking up! Without thinking, Eragon grabbed Arya's hand, dragged her over the field in a speed even HE did not know he was capable of running and practically flew onto Saphira, who launched into the air without waiting to check if everyone was safely seated.

It was too late, Blodgharm had awakened.

"NO!" he screamed **"DON'T LEAVE! WE NEED TO STICK TOGETHER, ERAGON! SAPHIRA…WH…ARYA!" **

~O~

Elva watched the blue beauty fly away and grinned to herself. She turned to Blodgharm, who was barely visible in the snowy flurry, despites the colour of his fur.

"That's be me off too" She announced.

Blodgharm looked at her. "I'm not sure I know what you mean," he replied.

Elva's grin widened. "I have fulfilled my duties!"

She ran off, abandoning the poor, furred elf, grabbing her blanket on the way into the woods, wow, it was cold! She darted between the trees, searching for the place that matched the image in her head. Finally she spotted it, a large tree that did not fit with the pine trees around her AT ALL. Its branches were old and bent and barely visible through the thousands and thousands of light green little leaves. The Neúrt-Estra 'never changing tree of spring'.

Elva slowly slid down into a sitting position at the trunk of the tree. Then it came. At first there was just a dim light in the distance, but Elva knew immediately what it was. After all, it was purple.

She closed her eyes until it was right before her.

_Are you ready? _It was a pleasant voice. Elva opened her eyes and nodded, still smiling. _Are you sure Elva?_

Elva did not have time to answer. Her body began to tingle. Her fingertips, fingers, palms, wrists…slowly the tingling spread until the pleasant, if not unusual tingling became uncomfortable and worrisome. The tingling grew stronger, and stronger until Elva screamed, then her hands flowed away, blowing away in the wind like dust.

Next to the glowing violet spirit, a second appeared. It was also a spirit. A mixture of amethyst and purple, a glowing, seemingly throbbing spirit, perhaps in time with a child's heart beat? It was the colour of Elva's eyes.

**Yeah, so it was not so long after all, but I thought this was a nice place to stop. Elva is finally FREE! She is a little floaty and weird and bright, but she is FREE! So, yes… still waiting for inspiration for Elva's other story, I have started a few times, but never got any where :{ Anyway, YAY, did a little better now with reviews (imagine one of those smileys, you know the ones whose smiles take up most of the face) yeah so here:**

**Emi.B: heh, heh**

**Unique fant.: no, she wanted to keep him away from any danger so that he does not die before making any sort of impact on galby or murty…okay, it's better thought out than it looks…(hopefully)**

**JAm123: actually, that was not the time…but yeah, I suppose that chapter also fits the description I gave you…oops**

**R.S: Eragon would never let her do that…(I need my notebook and a pen!)**

**Owltalon: you'll most probably find out next chapter…I mean with Nasuada, I'm not so sure myself what he's going to do with Arya…oh well, I'll think of something.**

**So, thank you for the reviews! Keep them coming! Enjoy the next chapter! And have a good life!**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Blodgharm stood blinking in the middle of the opening overwhelmed by a feeling he had never felt before and hoped never to experience again. He felt helpless. Alone and confused in the middle. Should he get Elva or go after Eragon? Eragon of course! But he could not stand the thought of leaving a helpless child out in an oncoming winter.

He probed around and was shocked at what he found. She had not…

Blodgharm sprang into action. Without hesitation he ran in the direction Eragon and Saphira had flown…and ARYA! Blodgharm cursed the girls incompetence. What was she doing running away like that, leaving him behind all alone with a child who had ran off and become the living death of this land.

~O~

Eragon was still puzzled and Saphira seemed to be letting him figure things out for himself, or she was angry with Arya and annoyed that he had thrown her onto Saphira's back. Eragon steadied his thoughts. Arya and Blodgharm had betrayed him. No, Arya and Blodgharm had refused to share information, important information which he had the right to know- but that was not right either. They promised not to share that information, why did his anger suddenly seem irrational when he thought about it that way. This was Nasuada's doing! She had made them swear to not tell him. Then again Arya and Blodgharm could have refused. Then again, knowing Nasuada she probably had very good arguments to keep them on her side. Then again perhaps Nasuada was only doing such because she thought she was protecteing him. Then again she…Then again…Then…

The list would not stop. JUST BE QUIET! His head cried. The thoughts continued. Circles within circles. Nasuada's secrecy, her secret meeting. The way Elva had been so sweet to him, and then so willing to hand out the information. Arya and Blodgharm speaking into the mirror before they picked them up. Elva muttering to Arya the last night.

Eragon was holding onto the spike in front of him so tightly that his cuts started bleeding again.

"Here," Arya said, gently lifting his hand and putting it into her lap, unwrapping the make-shift bandages and healing them with a single word. Eragon sighed. He could have done that. Why had he not?

He was aware of Arya inspecting his face.

"You're confused," she commented. Her voice was different. Higher, less icy…a little scared perhaps, nervous?

_And more!_ Saphira growled into both Eragon's and Arya's mind.

Arya looked at her hands. _What do you want to know?_ She asked in his mind.

_Do you still not love me? _He thought to himself. Arya caught his eye, and he realised, going red, that she had heard that. Arya looked down at the tiny trees and the rising sun. Now that the question was out, he thought he might as well burrow a little deeper. _Well?_ He was met with shields.

Eragon turned forwards and let out a smile. She wasn't sure.

~O~

Nasuada looked into the mirror in disbelief, once again. Had she seen that correctly? Had she really seen the two elves disappear into thin air, leaving nothing visible but a shrivelled brown leaf and a startled worm? Sometime during the night the mirror had stopped working completely, for in the morning, as Nasuada checked once again in worry, what she had caused, the screen was black.

She was not sure what to think, but what she felt was, well, guilt.

She watched in dismay as the soldiers slowly equipped their aching bodies for battle. The largest battle the Varden had ever fought, and hopefully the last one they ever needed to. The Varden was big now. At least double the size it had been when her father had been leading. Why was she not proud? Why was her heart edged with dread and worry, exactly at the moment the Varden needed her confidence and words to get through this? Nasuada turned and gazed at the gleaming armour propped onto a pole in her tent. It was beautiful piece of work. Entirely out of silver metal that shone unbelievably bright. The tunic she was going to wear was a blue colour. Saphira.

Nasuada wanted to throw herself into her cot and cry. She could not, though, she had to be strong for her people. She pulled the costume over her head solemnly. A young girl tied it at its sides. She strode through the tent town to a podium around which many people had already surrounded.

She took a deep breath and stepped up. "My dear people…" Why was her voice so shaky? She coughed. "My dear people, today we are making history as well as a future. A history of great deeds and people, heroes who were willing to die for what they believed in, martyrs. A future for all our children, because people, if we do not fight now, there will be no future, there won't be any children, there will be slaves, never dying, ever suffering SLAVES! We must fight for our future…" Nasuada continued talking and gradually the faces of her worried people changed. They grew more determined, worried about Nasuada's predicament.

She met eyes with Roran. He was worried. Why was he worried? Had Nasuada scared him that much? She glimpsed Katrina's rounding belly. No, it was something else, then Roran looked up at the sky and it was clear what he meant. Thorn.

~O~

He had caught her off-guard. Why had he asked, well, thought that? Why had he forgotten to pull it behind his shields before letting it slip out? Why, o why, o why?

They had not said anything since. Although Arya could imagine the conversation going on between Saphira and Eragon. Maybe they were not discussing her, and instead discussing what they were going to do when they got to Galbatorix castle. However, when she asked Eragon took a long time to answer. They had definitely not been planning.

_Jeod gave Nasuada a ma, did he not, she did not possibly show it to you? _ Eragon tried meekly. He did not have a plan. Arya rolled her eyes. Had she actually been expecting ERAGON, Eragon Bromson, the boy who found something dangerous in a field of bunnies, to have a PLAN? Surprisingly the answer was yes.

_I've one better, I have the map. _She replied eventually, letting Eragon feel her distaste of his spontaneous manner.

Eragon nodded, _okay, Jeod drew the tunnels and where the spies presume the chambers to be, my plan is based mainly on them._

Arya now was silent because she was surprised. _Do you mean you have a plan?_

Eragon scratched the back of his neck. _Not exactly, it depends on certain things to be happening at certain times. A mix between chance, luck, fate and the slightest hint of thought._

Arya could not help but smile just the slightest. Some of that gullible, clumsy farm yard boy was still within him, making him just the slightest bit sweeter. Arya cautioned herself, _there will be a bitter after taste. _She reckoned, continuing her food-based metaphor.


	16. Chapter 16

They landed as soon as they spotted the castle in the distance. It was a mile away from the town and surprisingly elegant. Unlike Eragon had imagined, it was not a dark block of a castle equipped from base to parapets with deadly weaponry and instead red-brown sandstone with many round towers and decorations. There were carvings of dragon heads blowing fire underneath the wooden galleries that lined the tops of the walls on the gate side of the castle and gargoyles poking out from under the conical roofs.

"It's…it's…" Eragon stuttered. Arya nodded. They had run all the way until they were about half a mile from the castle.

"so when…does the…the shield start?" Eragon asked hoping to all heavens that Arya knew the answer.

"I'm not sure" she whispered sadly.

~O~

_Do not be alarmed, I wish only to speak with Nasuada…_the voice boomed through the crowds heads. Nasuada growled under her breath. Why? Why now? Why her?

The voice searched for her mind. _Damn it just show yourself woman! _Nasuada grinned.

_Ask politely._

_I don't have to!_

Nasuada did not move from her place just beneath an open tent. The crowd had run into all corners of the camp, rolling behind tents, leaping into barrels, covering their heads with pans. Like that would help when the flames came licking…

_I wish to speak with Nasuada, _the voice repeated, _please._

_That's better, _praised Nasuada steeping out from the sheets. _Speak your will, _she demanded then, narrowing the conversation down to just the two of them.

_I'm not sure if this will work, _he sounded sad…scared? At least the slightest bit insecure, surely? _I wish to help you, _he proclaimed then with new founded confidence, _I wish to report one of your spies, he has been lying to you for quite some time under Galbatorix orders…_

~O~

Eragon stepped forward. Nothing. He stepped again.

Very slowly they were nearing Galbatorix home and Arya was getting more and more overwhelmed by a feeling of dread and panic. Something was not right. Something was not right at all. She stepped forward once more, barely holding down the shriek that tried to force itself out of her throat when a squirrel bounded away in front of her.

"Eragon look," she murmured pointing at the furry creature.

"It's a squirrel," Eragon commented. _I'd never had guessed, _Arya thought sourly but stayed patient.

"Nasuada said that no walking, swimming or digging animal could get anywhere near the…" She did not have to finish, she could see that Eragon had figured it out. His face expression altered. His curious, large eyes narrowed and grew dark almost-black, his mouth tightened and his now longish hair collapsed into his forehead casting a shadow over it. Arya had never seen him so angry.

He stopped his cautious treading immediately and stomped forwards making sure each of his steps made a terribly loud crunching noise as they hit the ground.

"You're being to loud!" Arya hissed.

Eragon laughed, his laugh was not joyful, it was mocking, it was angry, it was sad. "Good!" he called louder than necessary "the whole of Alagaësia should know we've arrived. No doubt they already do," he stormed on.

They directed the squirrel in front of them. Not entirely out of its own will. Arya just cast spells that lead it to believe there was lots of food in the surroundings of the castle. All they had to look out for, though, were the soldiers who's mass was rising unaccountably. Every few seconds Arya had to throw herself behind a bush.

Eragon did not. He just walked on. If the guards managed to spot him they did not live long enough to say as much, not that it mattered whether they did or not, Eragon killed them all, one by helpless one.

~O~

Disgusting. He knew it himself. What could he do? He could barely see the tears were too thick a waterfall for that. He could not face Arya. She had seen what he did to the soldiers. It was better than nothing though, he sheathed his sword and when the next soldier appeared he rolled beneath the next large shrub. He heard Arya sigh though he could not tell whether it was relief, frustration or just…a sigh.

The walls were getting closer, he could not see them through the many trees, but he could sense them somewhere ahead.

He rolled out from beneath the leaves, jumped up and started running, this time not quite as loud as the last time. Nasuada had betrayed him. Nasuada had betrayed him to Galbatorix. Galbatorix had made Nasuada betray him. He had betrayed Nasuada. Arya had betrayed Nasuada for him. Arya had betrayed him. He had made Arya betray Nasuada because Galbatorix had made Nasuada betray him to him.

Eragon slapped his wrist. What was he doing? He had no idea what he was thinking about. Making insane assumptions, none of which he knew were true. Or maybe they were true…

He shook his head.

_Above castle, waiting for a signal,_ Saphira told him quickly, sending him an image of clouds. Very helpful. Now he knew EXACTLY where she was. Eragon shook his head again. _Stop. ._

He could not help it. How could he? He was practically walking into his death, talking of walking into things, where did that cliff come from?

Eragon pushed himself off the ground rubbing his temple.

"Ow…"

He put his hand onto the cliff. It was surprisingly smooth. Eragon blinked and took a closer look at the cliff or more 'large rock'.

It had an unbelievably smooth surface, only the rock was in so many different shades of black and grey in such odd shapes that it looked like crevices, holes, folds, bits of sticking out stone, a lost pebble and the occasional crack.

Eragon let his hand slide across the rock. There was a carving near the bottom of the rock. Hang on…a carving? Eragon felt it again. He knelt down and stared at it in the semi-darkness the trees cursed them with.

K.U. T. H. I. A. N

Kuthian. Eragon thought back. He had heard that word before somewhere. A while ago…from…

Eragon smiled as the memory shot back into his head. Solembum. Solembum had told him to speak his name at the rock of Kuthian when all seemed lost.

Did all seemed lost? Had he not just been thinking that he was walking to his death? Had he not thought that he was alone and everyone was betraying him? Yes….but he had imagined 'all is lost' a little more dramatic than a single lie. Nevertheless he stood placed both his hands on the rock and spoke quietly but confidently "Eragon Shade…" then his speech faltered.

He blinked. "Eragon Shadsl…" The rock was stopping him! He swore of it the rock was making him stop! "Eragon Shade…" It was he himself he realised his mistake then.

"Eragon Bromson"

~O~

_All things have a beginning, a present and a future,_

_All things have a start, a middle and an end._

_That makes the lifespan of everything a story,_

_The trick is, knowing when the peak is,_

_And then being prepared to end it._

~O~

It was a cave. It was hard to figure out what happened to the smooth rock face, it seemed to just vanish into thin air, but Eragon was too preoccupied with what lay behind the wall to notice.

The cave was small, wide and more or less round, however that was not what fascinated Eragon.

"Garjzla!" Arya muttered and a ball of light floated up to the low ceiling. Both Eragon and Arya's eyes widened with surprise.

"Baah…" was all Eragon could let out. Arya just stayed silent. Speechless. Dumbstruck.

Eragon smiled amazed at the thousands, no millions of colourful lights springing across the back of the cave.

There in the cave were an unbelievable amount of hearts of hearts. The first one that caught Eragon's eye was the biggest Eldanuri. A massive hunk at least a metre wide. It was ash grey.

_Who are you all? _Eragon asked it.

_The question is what are we a…_

_Lost…_ Eragon answered the question he knew he would have asked. His dream, it was like his dream. _Lost, and I am meant to find you._

The grey Eldanuri laughed. _You have found us though…_

_Help! I supposed to help you! _Eragon remembered. The grey dragon was quiet for a while.

_You are Eragon, rider of Saphira? _

_Aye, that is me._

_Then yes, if you can, we wish of you to help us._

Eragon looked at Arya, she was kneeling on the floor with a large orange heart in her hands, staring into it intently.

_How?_

_Kill Galbatorix, free us! Smash us!_

**Okay, sorry it took so long, I've been busy. Not that anyone cares but oh well. Progress be slow nowadays. Schools on and all that…**

**Anyways…hope you enjoyed it…I think I always say that but oh well…and as always, ever pleased to answer questions and receive feedback just follow the stemless Arrows!**

**V  
>V<br>V  
>V<br>V**


	17. Chapter 17

_Chapter 17_

_Life is like a sail boat,_

_On a wild, murderous sea_

_Of course the easy answer is,_

_To cling on, and try to flee_

_When life is like a sailboat_

_And time is like a sea_

_The answers never simple_

_So why not come? Join me_

_I am the deep end_

_In that sea_

_A living death_

_So come join me_

_I am impossible_

_And yet the only answer_

_Logic defies me_

_Come. Join. Me_

~O~

Eragon was cold. He was shaking, shivering rubbing his arms, but the chill was from within him. It was released from his bones and squirmed through his veins, his muscles, his skin…

He noticed Arya's worried looks and went red. What an awful time to go red. What was wrong with him? Surely there were more important matters! His heart fluttered as he remembered the conversation they had had before. 'do you still not love me?' hammer on the nail. It was a horrible nail though. All bent and rusty, never reliable on the best of times and they were not in the best of times.

He looked around the cave. _You all want to die?_

There were too many agreements at once. Eragon fell to his knees and bashed his head against the rock.

"Stop it! You're hurting him" Arya squealed- indeed, actual squealing- and put her hand on Eragons shoulder. The voices ceased. Eragon slowly sat back up. _And there is NO one who wants to live?_

_This is not life; this is torture _the ash grey replied.

_Are you all under Galbatorix power?_

_Not exactly. He can take our power, but he does not know where we are and cannot search through our memories as he does with our relatives._

_What about thorn? _He was not sure why he asked the question. What about Thorn? He was a traitor. A disappointment to all riders and dragons…

_He is a prisoner_

_Murtagh…?_

_He is a slave_

Eragon withdrew from the Eldanuri to think. What was he to do?

If he killed Murtagh and Thorn he would have it etched into his conscience in a painful and never leaving way, if he kept them alive they would surely kill him and Saphira. _What am I going to do at all? _

One thing was clear, they were not going to get anywhere if they stayed in the cave.

~O~

Nasuada glared at Murtagh.

"And you couldn't…!" she cried again and stopped midsentence, again as she had done with the last few attempts.

"You should have been…"

Murtagh waited patiently for the angered woman to calm down. Then he repeated for the 3rd time, "I can only tell you what I saw"

That he had done and at eye level with Nasuada which had annoyed her the most. To emphasize the fact that he was slightly taller than the girl he had lowered his head in an intimidating manner, gazed straight into her eyes and told her about her traitor of a spy.

The spy she had trusted with her life. The spy who had told her about both the shields and that Galbatorix himself had planned on showing himself in the town of Urû'baen when the time came. The spy who had lied and because of whom Eragon, Arya, Blodgharm and Elva were now in mortal danger.

"What are you going to do now?" Murtagh asked with unacceptable curiosity.

"What are YOU going to do now?" She returned and paced up and down as far as she could in her pavilion. The guards were with her inside, she had not wanted any risks, even though the man had sworn in the ancient language.

"You tell me, what AM I going to do now?"

"Stop that!" she scowled at him and wiped her brow. She continued pacing. There had to be a solution, there was always a solution, she just had to plan a few steps ahead of her opponent. However she had a very cunning one this time.

"I'll do the only thing I can…" she muttered. Murtagh raised his eyebrows expectantly. Did he think he was to be trusted?

"Well, I'll leave you to it," He announced rather unexpectedly. He stretched his legs stiffly.

Nasuada glanced at him. "Excuse me?"

~O~

Arya leant against the rock and held the orange Eldanuri.

_Little and green_

Arya bolted upright. The orange Eldanuri had said it, she was sure.

_Green and little_

Arya stroked it and asked it what it meant.

_Little and green_

Arya frowned. That was not the answer she had been hoping for. Carefully she put the stone down. It was perfect timing, for just that moment Eragon re-emerged from his thoughts and hopped on to his feet from a kneeling position.

"We're leaving"

"Where to?" She already knew the answer and Eragon knew that she knew. That is why he just cocked his head in the direction of the castle and started running.

"Do you have a plan?"

Eragon stayed quiet for a while then he looked her straight in the face and admitted confidently "no"

Arya blinked at him.

"Yet your still going in?"

Eragon smiled "Aye"

"Is that wise?"

"no"

"Tree…"

"What?"

Eragon hit the tree the same time Arya sighed. Farm boy. Cute. Flutter. Damn it!

**I know…short, but it was a nice place to stop, it's late (in my country) and I am missing the Sherlock Holmes movie my friend lent me, so, as usual I hope you enjoyed it, thank you for the reviews:**

**OneTripMaggie; patience! **

**R.F: I only just realised you have the same initials as my mum…(giggles) anyways, well, wouldn't u I mean after ATLEAST 3000 years I'm positive you would be bored if you were a ROCK…thing…err…yeah…**

**Jam; well, that's a little harsh, but that is not how I meant to emphasize it, I was actually trying to find a solution to 'speak ur name…When all seems lost" but yes…I suppose the rock is a little unoriginal, sorry, won't change it, It fits and I had that planned from the very beginning!**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Eragon's eye lids fluttered. He glared at the tree. Then he propped himself up on his elbows and looked to the side. Arya was sitting on a nearby stone watching him. When they met eyes she raised her eyebrows.

"be quiet," Eragon moaned and stood up. Arya let out a slim smile.

"Come on then wise farm boy" She murmured teasingly.

Eragon looked down at his feet. _Please stop being so nice. _He made sure his shields were there just before the thought slipped into his mind. Even with his walls reinforced Arya seemed to feel it in the air.

"Anyway, that was a foolish thing to do; in fact this whole situation is rather doomed,"

Eragon saw her face stiffen. Her mask was back.

He felt disappointment slowly rise through his blood. All his determination and blood thirst left him. "I know," Why was he trembling?

He started walking, this time watching carefully for trees. Farm boy. A farm boy he was. A powerful, strong and well informed farm boy, but he was a one all the same.

~O~

"for our future, for our freedom, for our country,!" the crowd screamed.

_With my life, with your lives, with his life…_

"For Our Future, For Our Freedom, For Our Country!"

_With difficulty, pain and a lot of suffering…_

"FOR OUR FUTURE…"

Nasuada was standing on the podium once more in front of thousands war-ready warriors who were chanting the last few words she had said. They were fighting for their future, for their freedom, for their country as well as for Eragon and his troop.

A young boy stepped onto the podium, straight passed the guards and next to her. He beckoned Nasuada to lean forwards, since he was a rather short boy. The boy cupped his hands around her ear and whispered.

"The elves have arrived my lady" It took her a while to realise what he was saying. For the first time in what seemed an age, she smiled. "Why that's brilliant!" she cried unbelievably loudly. The startled crowd stopped chanting immediately. "my friends, my family, my people, we were calling for help, and now, my fighters, that help has come!"

~O~

Roran had not re-joined the crowd around Nasuada's stage. He had lost all hope already, none of Nasuada's words could change that. He had wanted Katrina to come with him and talk, but he had not found her after the untimely visit from Thorn and Murtagh.

There he stood at the edge of the camp facing the horizon. A horizon he would be closer too than he liked to be in just a few hours. He could see the towers from a castle behind the large collection of houses that formed Urû'baen. Was Eragon there now? Creeping up to the tunnels? or was he crawling through wet black mud in an attempt to get into the cursed palace of the insane king?

Roran wandered around the tents until he was facing the eastern horizon. He noticed a spot that broke through the flat landscape. A hill? Perhaps a little forest? No, it was…it was…Roran rubbed his eyes and pinched himself. The spot was moving! Or growing, or…

It was coming closer, at inhuman speed. Gradually it became clear. The black spot became a white blur which in return transformed into…into…

A boy tottered passed Roran, he grabbed him by the shirt. "B…b…boy, go, go tell Nasuada, go tell her that…"

The boy looked at the moving blobs. "Who are they?"

"Elves!" Roran hissed "RUN!" he cried and the boy sprinted away as fast as his tiny legs would take him.

~O~

Little and green

~O~

Eragon had his chin leaning against the red stone wall and his head cocked back so that he could see the sky and the top of the wall of Galbatorix castle.

"Can I have the map?" he more commanded than asked Arya.

He studied the map and tried to find out where he was. "If my guess is correct, the tunnel should be right…here" He side-stepped two metres to the left and rapped on the wall. "hmm…"

He stepped back.

"may I?" Arya demanded more than requested. Eragon handed her the map.

She examined it, "Well, I'd…Eragon?" Arya's eyes were wide with surprise. Eragon had vanished! She stretched out her hand just in case he had managed to turn himself invisible, but there was nothing there. All of a sudden Eragon's head appeared out of the ground. He remembered what Jeod had looked like with nothing but a head. Arya's mask fell away she gave one of her disapproving but amused smiles and told him to move. She dropped down into the hole that appeared once Eragon's head had been pulled away.

The tunnel beneath it was dark, narrow and dark but it was dry which was more than she could say about other places she had been in. She summoned light, but kept it floating above her palm. A family of rats scuttled away and up ahead she heard bats flapping. At least she hoped it was bats.

Then it was silent again and the only noise was Eragon's shallow breathing as he tried to ignore the disgusting stench of faeces.

The further they advanced into the tunnel, the thinner it got until even Arya had to squeeze to get through the gaps. Yet they were slowly leaving the rough natural walls of the tunnel and entering man made chambers and halls with stairs and ladders, there were even tiles on the floor, a steady black and white pattern out of thousands and thousands of tiny squares. There were candles one the walls so Arya put out her palm-light.

The candles were an oddity. Ever burning, but never melting. The stairs were not quite right either, they were wooden steps floating in the air and rocked when stepped on. Never the less, they followed the map and clambered up them.

They spiralled and Arya counted at least 300 maybe even 350 steps before they finally reached a door. A door? That was also a little unexpected. Eragon turned the handle and pushed.

They were in a passageway with wall paintings from bottom to bottom in the arched room, climbing plants with thorns, crawling around bleeding or suffocating innocent men from a village which was burning on the right side of the wall.

She shut the door behind her and found that it was practically invisible, hidden in a wooden panel also covered in the gruesome art work.

At the very bottom of the left wall, there was a shadow of a man watching the terror of the village. Arya heard laughing. Was that coming from the wall or her head? She shuddered.

"The man is quite the joker," Eragon commented. His thumb was covering a bleeding man's face and when he removed it, Arya saw an unbelievably detailed portrait of Eragon on the wall.

**avoir du plaisir! which means as much as 'have fun' which pretty much means enjoy! err...yeah...ive had a long day ok? don't mock it. Anyways, happy to see my sadisticly soled friends/reviewers enjoyed Eragon walking into a tree, which, if it is anything like walking into a lamp post i can tell you HURTS. Anyways, thank you for reviewing! no need for answers this time, keep it up and follow the oddly spaced out arrows!**

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	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Little and green

~O~

Nasuada looked up and down the barrier of bodies that stretched from the one corner of her vision to the next. They had grown, tremendously, and she had barely noticed. She had been stuck so over her head in worry and guilt that she had not noticed her father's work, her work, their work grow, expand. _This is our army, _Nasuada thought smugly, _now you bring us yours._

It was a silly way of thinking of course. No doubt that Galbatorix army was even bigger, but the sudden realisation of just how their masses had grown, was so overwhelming, Nasuada could do nothing to stop such thoughts whirring beneath her skull.

She had taken control of the only thing she could. Timing. Her timing would come to a surprise to the town. They were known to have lunch 12 on the dot, and Nasuada had made sure her men had eaten beforehand. Now they were lined up in as orderly a crowd as Nasuada could get them and repeated; for our future, for our freedom, for our country.

Nasuada nodded at Islanzadí, then at Orik and then at the Herndall- the current leader of the Kull and Urgals. _This is history in the making._

~O~

Eragon crept forwards, rolling beneath the cloth of a table just before the maid appeared. Her eyes were entirely white as if possessed, or rolled back into her skull. Eragon shuddered. He scrambled back up and helped Arya out of a basket. How she had managed to get into it in the few seconds warning they had had, he did not now, but he was happy she had managed it.

They tiptoed onwards, but barely a step later, there were more footsteps and they had no choice but to throw themselves into hiding places.

_This is not working, _Arya commented from across the room in a large cupboard.

_I am aware of that! What do we do? _

_Disappear? _Arya suggested.

_Surely you're not giving up all ready! _Eragon joked. He knew what she meant and murmured the words in the ancient language. A second passed then he could not see his arms anymore, then his torso, his legs and eventually his feet.

_All set, you? _

Arya sent him a mental nod and they stood up, smashing into each other as they stepped into the hall.

Arya let out a low groan. _Be careful! _She felt her way from Eragon's arm to his face.

_That's my nose…_

_Good, _she said and slapped him.

Eragon was stunned. It had not hurt particularly much, but still, he was surprised at Arya's response. He stayed strong and waddled on keeping his hand against the wall so as not to lose his balance.

~O~

It had been a very late reflex. Indeed VERY late, which is why Arya understood Eragon's confusion. His mind had long since moved on. _He__ is concentrating on his job! _A voice in the back of her mind accused.

'Do you still not love me? Do you still not love me? Do you still not love me?'

It annoyed her that the question would not stop turning around her head. That is why she slapped him. Was it logical? No, but even Elves have their irrational moments. At least Arya hoped as much…

She refused to apologise even so. What could she say? If it was not for that question, it was for some other dumb deed Eragon had done, or would do…

It was the NOT that stung her most. For Christ's sake, she was doing it AGAIN! Why could she not stop thinking about…

Arya stopped still, as had Eragon. A dozen soldiers flooded into the narrow passage. Arya looked at them in horror. The unbelievably quiet and helmeted men were storming, with simultaneous steps straight towards them.

_Eragon…_she warned. He had already seen it.

"run," he hissed and they both turned on their heel.

~O~

It's a pretty flower don't you agree?

_Aye, but beauty never lasts_

_Wait 'til the autumn, you will see_

_Death, a shadow on us casts_

The flower is wilting…

_I did warn you so_

The stem is tilting!

_The path we all go_

Which path would that be?

_The path of life_

~O~

Thorn flew. Wildly, desperately, he battled through the winds. Why was it that his flight was so clumsy? So bulky and of course? Why was his flight not Elegant and beautiful like the blue dragon's was?

_Saphira. _

_What? _Thorn was confused. Murtagh had told him he did not know the dragons name.

_And as far as distractions go, I think you have a point, _Murtagh continued.

_What is that supposed to mean? _Thorn grumbled, his patience was hanging in tatters.

_You…_

Thorn ripped his eyes open as Murtagh sent him his thoughts, stopping mid-air. Murtagh sighed.

_We're falling, _he commented solemnly.

_Take it back, _Thorn demanded.

_What that my dragon is 'distracted'? _Murtagh taunted.

They were falling faster now. The air was rushing passed their ears and Thorn could feel the sense of panic slowly rising in his master.

_Yes that._

_No._

_Why not?_

_Because it's true._

~O~

He could not run. He had told Arya to do it, why was he not doing it? Most probably she had already done it. **RUN! **His mind demanded. He could not. His mouth was dry, his palms sweating and his knees, well he could not see them, but he swore they had been attached to the floor.

"Rïsa" he hissed, finding no other answer, and the next thing he knew his head was hitting the ceiling. He watched the soldiers storm beneath him. What would they think if he made himself visible? Would they even notice him?

Once they had passed, Eragon immediately let himself back down. He was not tired, but he did not want to risk draining his power.

After a lot of fumbling and describing, he found Arya and they set of in the direction of the map, which they had to turn invisible on the outside but not on the inside, so that it was protected from unwanted eyes but still readable.

Every hall way was arched and decorated with increasingly vivid and cruel images of torture, war or simply, plain duals, often picturing Eragon dying. _I don't think he likes me much… _he reported back to Arya she sighed, nothing more and continued walking.

Eventually the passages passed and the rooms grew bigger so much so that when Eragon and Arya went through a smaller- or in most cases normal- sized room, they were suspicious. It might also have been the gigantic stone block in the middle of the room though…

**Okay…****Надам се да се свиђа, which is serbian for; Hope you like it! Yay! Okay...you get the picture, I gedit, so reviews:**

**E.B: thank you**

**Jam123; THANK GOODNESS for that, i would have NEVER been able to continue living if you had not forgiven me! The poemS are...you don't really expect me to tell you do you? Do you really know me that little? Whatever c u at school tomtoms, DO NOT FORGET THE COMIC!**

**R.F: no, not exactly, Galbatorix, in my story probably an insane, maybe schizzophrenic sychopath (or something along those lines) has painted the many ways he would enjoy killing his enemies-Eragon-on the walls of his castles...or let it be painted. Well, chapter 17, Thorn and Murtagh turn up, which Roran interpratates as BAD...and untimely because as it is a BAD thing, it might take longish and therefore endanger, Nasuada's perfect timing for her battle against Galby**


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